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States  iltlttanj  Aratomg 

WEST  POINT,  NEW  YORK 


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DEC  2 1  1932 


UNIVERSITY 


hVUNOlS 


United  States  military  Academy  situated 
at  West  Point,  New  York,  on  the  west  bank  of 
the  Hudson  River,  is  a  school  maintained  at  the 
expense  of  the  United  States  Government  for  the  practical 
and  theoretical  training  of  young  men  to  fit  them  as 
officers  of  the  United  States  Army. 

The  necessity  for  a  military  academy  for  the  technical 
training  of  officers  was  manifest  from  the  very  first  days 
of  the  Revolution.  A  plan  for  such  a  school  was  proposed 
by  General  Henry  Knox  in  1776,  and  elaborated  by 
Alexander  Hamilton.  Its  establishment  was  frequently 
recommended  by  Washington.  The  very  last  letter 
written  by  him  declares  it  to  be  “an  object  of  primary 


importance  to  this  country.”  The  United  States  Military 
Academy  was  organized  by  Act  of  Congress  in  1802.  Its 
first  Superintendent  was  Colonel  Jonathan  Williams,  a 
grand-nephew  of  Benjamin  Franklin.  Colonel  Sylvanus 
Thayer,  whose  statue  at  West  Point  bears  the  legend 
“The  Father  of  the  Military  Academy,”  was  Superin¬ 
tendent  during  the  years  1817-33.  The  curriculum, 
military  and  academic,  was  adopted  under  his  leadership, 
and  the  traditions  of  Thayer  were  carried  on  and  improved 
under  the  supervision  of  General  James  G.  Totten,  In¬ 
spector  U.  S.  M.  A.,  1838-1864,  by  a  succession  of  able 
Superintendents.  For  47  years  one  policy  prevailed  and 
the  type  of  West  Point  education  was  fixed.  The  expe- 


rience  of  the  wars  of  1846,  1861  and  1898  introduced 
modifications  of  detail,  leaving  the  early  traditions  sub¬ 
stantially  unchanged. 

The  first  object  of  the  school  is  to  form  character. 
Habits  of  faithfulness,  obedience,  attention  to  duty  first, 
last  and  all  the  time,  are  inculcated  throughout  the  entire 
course  of  four  years.  At  the  end  of  this  period  the  cadet 
receives  a  commission  as  lieutenant  in  the  army.  The 
discipline  is  strict.  A  system  of  daily  “marks”  enables 
each  cadet  to  judge  his  own  performance  and  to  bring 
himself  up  to  the  required  standard.  Habit  becomes  a 
second  nature  and  the  officer  carries  into  the  service 
qualities  that  have  been  continuously  inculcated.  There 
are  something  like  18,000  opportunities  for  a  cadet  to  be 
“late”  at  some  duty  or  drill  during  his  course.  Each 
delinquency  is  noted  and  punished,  and  the  habit  of 
punctuality  is  thus  established.  So  with  other  habits. 
The  large  number  of  instructors  (officers  of  the  army) 
enables  the  proficiency  of  every  cadet  in  every  subject 
to  be  tested  every  day  and  competence  is  insisted  upon 
as  well  as  satisfactory  conduct.  A  high  standard  of  per¬ 
sonal  honor  and  truthfulness  is  maintained  at  West  Point. 
The  record  of  the  disbursing  officers  of  our  army  for 
scrupulous  honesty  has  never  been  equalled  by  any  or¬ 
ganization  in  this  or  any  country. 

The  results  of  a  West  Point  training  are  appreciated  by 
the  Country  at  large.  The  services  of  the  army  at  the 


San  Francisco  earthquake  and  fire  will  not  soon  be  for¬ 
gotten.  Every  citizen  is  satisfied  that  the  Panama  canal 
will  be  built  honestly  and  well.  The  administration  of 
Cuba  and  the  Philippines  has  been  admirable  and  it  has 
been  honest.  A  training  that  produces  such  results 
deserves  the  study  of  educators. 

The  curriculum  is  fixed  and  comprises  courses  in 
Mathematics,  English,  French,  Spanish,  Physics,  Chem¬ 
istry,  Mineralogy,  Geology,  Hygiene,  History,  Law, 
Civil  and  Military  Engineering,  Tactics,  Topography, 
Ordnance,  Fortifications,  the  Art  of  War  and  Military 
History.  The  academic  ideal  is  to  give  power  by  means 
of  useful  knowledge  to  each  and  every  cadet  rather  than 
to  develop  special  aptitudes. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  graduates  are  successful  in 
civil  as  well  as  military  pursuits.  They  have  given  to  the 
Country  1  President,  4  Cabinet  Officers,  1  Ambassador, 
14  Ministers  to  foreign  courts,  26  U.  S.  Senators  or 
Representatives,  16  Governors  of  States  or  Territories, 
46  Presidents  of  Colleges,  136  Professors  and  Teachers, 
87  Presidents  of  Railroad  or  other  corporations,  63  Chief 
Engineers  of  Railroads,  228  Civil  Engineers,  179  Authors, 
etc.,  etc.  Ex-President  Roosevelt  has  said  (June,  1902)  “No 
other  educational  institution  in  the  land  has  contributed 
so  many  names  as  West  Point  to  the  honor  roll  of  the 
Nation’s  greatest  citizens” — and  this  is  true  whether  in 
civil  or  military  careers. 


GENERAL  VIEW  OF  BARRACKS,  ACADEMIC  BUILDING,  AND  EAST  SHORE  OF  HUDSON  RIVER 


r.'/> 


SOUTH  BARRACKS 


NORTH  BARRACKS  WITH  CHAPEL  IN  BACKGROUND 


EAST  ACADEMIC  BUILDING 


WEST  ACADEMIC  BUILDING 


CHAPEL 


ADMINISTRATION  BUILDING 


■■ 


MEMORIAL  HALL,  DADE  MONUMENT  IN  FOREGROUND 


tss 


THE  LIBRARY 


MAIN  ROOM,  LIBRARY 


INTERIOR  OF  RECITATION  ROOM 


# 


WEST  POINT  VIEWS 


VIEW  OF  SUMMER  CAMP  — JUNE  14-AUGUST  28 


BATTLE  MONUMENT 

Memorial  to  the  Officers  and  Enlisted  Men  o£  the  Regular  Army  who  Fell  in  the  Civil  War 


THE  COLORS 


CADET  UNIFORMS 


A  CLASS  PICTURE 


EVENING  PARADE  IN  CAMP 


FORMATION  FOR  INFANTRY  DRILL 


SATURDAY  INSPECTION  IN  OVERCOAT 


At  the  Inaugural  Parade,  Washington.  Marching  to  position  for  Review  by  President 


SWIMMING  POOL  AND  GYMNASIUM 


WORK  ON  PARALLEL  BARS  —  GYMNASIUM 


FENCING  COMPETITION 


INSTRUCTION  IN  FENCING  —  GYMNASIUM 


PHYSICAL  DRILL 


TARGET  PRACTICE 


LIGHT  BATTERY  DRILLS 


MACHINE  GUNS 


DRILLS  WITH  SEACOAST  GUNS 


DRILL  WITH  SEACOAST  MORTARS 


Target  practice  at  siege  battery 


PITCHING  SHELTER  TENTS 


CONSTRUCTION  AND  COMPLETION  OF  PONTOON  BRIDGE 


DRILL  IN  IMPROVISING  PONTOON  BOATS 


RIDING  HALL  — ONE-HALF  OF  FIRST  CLASS 


CAVALRY  DRIL' 


PISTOL  PRACTICE,  JUMPING  AND  CALISTHENICS 


LEAVING  RIDING  HALL  FOR  PRACTICE  MARCH 


INCIDENTS  ON  THE  MARCH 


ON  MANOEUVERS 


TRACK  ATHLETICS 


THE  HIGH  HURDLES 


A  BASKETBALL  SQUAD 


POLO 


HOCKEY  ON  LUSK  RESERVOIR 


THE  BASEBALL  DIAMOND 


CROWD  OF  ROOTERS 


CORPS  OF  CADETS  ENTERING  FRANKLIN  FIELD,  PHILADELPHIA 


wmm 


INCIDENTS  OF  THE  GAME 


FOOTBALL  ON  THE  OLD  FIELD  AT  WEST  POINT 


up 


a 


41 

r  P  *5 5 

ANNUAL  FOOTBALL  GAME  BETWEEN  WEST  POINT  AND  ANNAPOLIS,  1913,  POLO  GROUNDS,  NEW  YORK*  CITY.  WEST.  POINT  22,  ANNAPOLIS  9. 


RECREATION  — TENNIS,  HOCKEY,  GOLF,  POLO 


V77?. 


IN  THE  MESS  HALL 


VIEW  NORTH  FROM  TROPHY  POINT 


GRADUATION  EXERCISES 


RELIGIOUS  SERVICES  — DURING  SUMMER  CAMP 


SCENES  IN  COLOR-LINE  ENTERTAINMENT 


DECORATING  CAMP  FOR  THE  COLOR-LINE  ENTERTAINMENT 


HUNDRED  NIGHTS  TILL  JUNE  — THE  ANNUAL  PLAY  GIVEN  BY  CADETS 


A  HOP  IN  MEMORIAL  HALL 


APPOINTMENTS. 


How  Made. — Each  Congressional  District  and  Territory — and  also 
Porto  Rico — is  entitled  to  have  one  cadet  at  the  Academy.  Each  State 
is  also  entitled  to  have  two  cadets  from  the  State  at  large;  two  are  al¬ 
lowed  from  the  District  of  Columbia  and  forty  are  allowed  from  the 
United  States  at  large.  The  law,  however,  provides  that  for  six  years 
from  July  1,  1910,  whenever  any  cadet  shall  have  finished  three  years  of 
his  course  at  the  Academy  his  successor  may  be  admitted.  The  appoint¬ 
ment  from  a  Congressional  District  is  made  upon  the  recommendation 
of  the  Representative,  in  Congress  from  that  District,  and  those  from  a 
State  at  large  upon  the  recommendations  of  the  Senators  of  the  State. 
Similarly  the  appointment  from  a  Territory  is  made  upon  the  recom¬ 
mendation  of  the  Delegate  in  Congress.  The  appointments  from  the 
District  of  Columbia  are  made  on  the  recommendation  of  the  Commis¬ 
sioners  of  the  District.  Each  person  appointed  must  be  an  actual  resident 
of  the  State,  District,  or  Territory  from  which  the  appointment  is  made. 

The  appointments  from  the  United  States  at  large  are  made  by  the 
President  of  the  United  States  upon  his  own  selection.  The  cadet  from 
Porto  Rico,  who  must  be  a  native  of  that  island,  is  appointed  by  the 
President  on  the  recommendation  of  the  Resident  Commissioner. 

Date  of  Appointments. — Appointments  are  required  by  law  to  be 
made  one  year  in  advance  of  the  date  of  admission,  except  in  cases  where, 
by  reason  of  death  or  other  cause,  a  vacancy  occurs  which  cannot  be 
provided  for  by  such  appointment  in  advance.  These  vacancies  are 
filled  in  time  for  the  next  examination. 

Candidates. — For  each  vacancy  three  candidates  should  be  nominated, 
one  of  the  candidates  to  be  named  as  principal  and  the  others  as  alternates. 
The  alternate  making  the  highest  proficient  average  will  be  entitled  to 
admission  in  case  of  the  failure  of  the  principal. 

A  candidate  for  admission  to  the  United  States  Military  Academy 
from  a  State,  District,  or  Territory  may  be  admitted  without  mental 
examination  upon  one  of  the  following  conditions: 


1.  That  he  present  a  properly  attested  certificate  that  he  is  a  regularly 
enrolled  student  in  good  standing  without  condition  in  any  university, 
college,  or  technological  school  accredited  by  the  United  States  Military 
Academy,  provided  that  the  entrance  requirements  for  the  course  he  is 
pursuing  in  such  institution  include  proficiency  in  the  subjects  of  mathe¬ 
matics  Ai  (algebra  to  quadratics),  As  (algebra,  quadratics  and  beyond), 
and  C  (plane  geometry);  English  A  (reading  and  practice)  and  B  (study 
and  practice),  as  outlined  by  the  College  Entrance  Examination  Board. 

2.  That  he  present  a  properly  attested  certificate  of  graduation  from  a 
preparatory  school  or  public  high  school  which  is  on  the  accredited  list 
of  one  of  the  institutions  referred  to  in  paragraph  1  of  this  order,  pro¬ 
vided  that  he  is  thus  certified  to  have  established  proficiency  in  mathe¬ 
matics  A,,  A»,  and  C,  and  English  A  and  B,  as  outlined  by  the  College 
Entrance  Examination  Board. 

3.  That  he  present  a  properly  attested  certificate  from  the  College 
Entrance  Examination  Board  that  he  has  passed  14  units  of  its  examina¬ 
tions,  including  mathematics  Ai,  A-.,  and  C,  English  A  and  B,  and  history 
A  (ancient  history)  and  D  (American  history  and  civil  government). 

If  a  candidate  is  not  able  to  enter  under  one  of  the  three  above  condi¬ 
tions  then  he  must  appear  for  the  mental  and  physical  examinations 
before  boards  of  Army  officers  convened  on  the  last  Tuesday  in  March 
of  each  year  at  such  places  as  the  War  Department  may  designate.  At 
these  examinations  the  candidate  must  show  that  he  is  well  versed  in 
algebra,  to  include  quadratic  equations  and  progressions,  plane  geometry, 
English  grammar,  composition  and  literature,  descriptive  and  physical 
geography,  and  general  and  United  States  history,  as  explained  in  the 
circulars  of  notification.  The  Board  before  which  a  candidate  is  directed 
to  appear  will  be,  without  exception,  the  one  convened  at  the  place 
nearest  or  most  convenient  to  his  home,  or  to  the  school  at  which  he  is 
in  regular  attendance  at  the  time  of  appointment. 

Engagement  to  serve. — Immediately  after  reporting  to  the  Super¬ 
intendent  for  admission  and  before  receiving  their  warrants  of  appoint¬ 
ment  candidates  are  required  to  sign  in  the  presence  of  the  Superin- 


tendent,  or  of  some  officer  deputed  by  him,  engagements  for  service  in 
the  following  form: 

I, - ,  of  the  State  (or  Territory)  of - ,  aged - years, - 

months,  do  hereby  engage  (with  the  consent  of  my  parent  or  guardian) 
that  from  the  date  of  my  admission  as  a  cadet  of  the  United  States 
Military  Academy  I  will  serve  in  the  Army  of  the  United  States  for  eight 
years  unless  sooner  discharged  by  competent  authority. 

In  the  presence  of - . 

Oath  of  allegiance. — “Each  cadet  shall,  previous  to  his  admission 
to  the  academy,  take  and  subscribe  an  oath  or  affirmation  in  the  following 
form : 

“  ‘I, - ,  do  solemnly  swear  that  I  will  support  the  Constitution 

of  the  United  States  and  bear  true  allegiance  to  the  National  Govern¬ 
ment;  that  I  will  maintain  and  defend  the  sovereignty  of  the  United 
States  paramount  to  any  and  all  allegiance,  sovereignty,  or  fealty  I  may 
owe  to  any  State,  county,  or  country  whatsoever,  and  that  1  will  at  all 
times  obey  the  legal  orders  of  my  superior  officers  and  the  rules  and  articles 
governing  the  Armies  of  the  United  States.’  (Sec.  1320,  R.  S.) 

“Sworn  to  and  subscribed  at - -  this  -  day  of - ,  nineteen 

hundred  and - ,  before  me.” 

Qualifications. — No  candidate  shall  be  admitted  who  is  under  seventeen, 
or  over  twenty-two  years  of  age,  or  less  than  five  feet  four  inches  in  height 
at  the  age  of  seventeen,  or  five  feet  five  inches  in  height  at  the  age  of 
eighteen  and  upward,  or  who  is  deformed,  or  afflicted  with  any  disease 
or  infirmity  which  would  render  him  unfit  for  the  military  service,  or  who 
has,  at  the  time  of  presenting  himself,  any  disorder  of  an  infectious  or 
immoral  character.  Candidates  must  be  unmarried. 

Note. — Candidates  are  eligible  for  admission  from  the  day  they  are 
seventeen  until  the  day  they  become  twenty-two  years  of  age,  on  which 
latter  day  they  are  not  eligible. 


VACATIONS  AND  LEAVES  OF  ABSENCE. 


Academic  duties  are  suspended  from  the  completion  of  the  June  ex¬ 
aminations  until  the  end  of  August.  During  this  period  cadets  live  in 
camp  and  are  engaged  in  military  duties  and  exercises  and  in  receiving 
practical  instruction  in  military  and  other  subjects.  Academic  duties 
are  also  suspended  from  December  24th,  until  January  2d,  except  for 
those  undergoing  examination.  All  duties  and  exercises,  as  far  as 
practicable,  are  suspended  on  New  Year’s  Day,  February  22d,  May  30th, 
July  4th,  Thanksgiving  Day  and  Christmas  Day. 

Cadets  of  the  first,  second  and  third  classes  not  undergoing  examina¬ 
tion  are  allowed  short  leaves  at  Christmas,  if  their  conduct  during  the 
preceding  six  months  has  been  satisfactory.  Excepting  these  short 
leaves  for  good  conduct,  cadets  are  allowed  but  one  leave  of  absence 
during  the  four  years’  course.  This  leave  is  granted  to  those  cadets  who 
have  successfully  completed  the  third  class  course  of  study,  and  extends 
from  the  middle  of  June  to  the  28th  of  August. 

PAY  OF  CADETS. 

The  pay  of  a  cadet  is  $600  per  year  and  one  ration  per  day,  or  commu¬ 
tation  therefor  at  thirty  cents  per  day.  The  total  is  $709.50,  to  commence 
with  his  admission  to  the  Academy.  The  actual  and  necessary  traveling 
expenses  of  candidates  from  their  homes  to  the  Military  Academy  are 
credited  to  their  accounts  after  their  admission  as  cadets. 

DEPOSIT  PRIOR  TO  ADMISSION. 

Immediately  after  admission  candidates  must  be  provided  with  an 
outfit  of  uniform,  &c.,  the  cost  of  which  is  about  $160.  This  sum,  or  at 
least  $100  thereof,  must  be  deposited  with  the  Treasurer  of  the  Academy 
before  the  candidate  is  admitted. 

ACADEMIC  DUTIES. 

There  are  two  terms  of  academic  instruction;  September  1-December 


23,  and  January  2-June  4.  A  semi-annual  examination  is  held  December 
26-31,  and  an  annual  examination  June  5-12. 

All  cadets  who  attain  a  certain  standard  in  their  academic  work  may 
be  excused  from  the  regular  annual  and  semi-annual  examinations. 

PROMOTION  AFTER  GRADUATION. 

When  any  cadet  of  the  United  States  Military  Academy  has  gone 
through  all  its  classes  and  received  a  regular  diploma  from  the  Academic 
Staff,  he  may  be  promoted  and  commissioned  as  a  second  lieutenant  in 
any  arm  or  corps  of  the  Army  in  which  there  may  be  a  vacancy  and  the 
duties  of  which  he  may  have  been  judged  competent  to  perform;  and  in 
case  there  shall  not  at  the  time  be  a  vacancy  in  such  arm  or  corps,  he 
may,  at  the  discretion  of  the  President,  be  promoted  and  commissioned 
in  it  as  an  additional  second  lieutenant,  with  the  usual  pay  and  allowances 
of  a  second  lieutenant,  until  a  vacancy  shall  happen. 


THE  LIBRARY. 

Cadets  and  officers  have  free  access  to  the  library,  which  comprises 
over  90,000  books,  maps  and  manuscripts.  The  collection  contains 
substantially  all  standard  books  on  the  subjects  taught  in  the  Academy 
and  is  especially  complete  in  military  subjects.  Its  card  catalogues 
(about  315,000  cards)  are  arranged  with  the  special  object  of  saving  the 
time  of  cadets. 

The  object  of  this  pamphlet  is  to  bring  to  the  attention  of  the  youths 
of  the  United  States  the  method  of  securing  an  appointment  to  the  Mili¬ 
tary  Academy,  the  requirements  for  admission,  the  life  of  a  cadet  at  the 
Academy,  the  studies,  drills,  exercises,  athletic  sports,  amusements  and 
the  many  advantages  gained  by  the  course  at  this  school. 

All  inquiries  concerning  vacancies,  the  scope  of  the  entrance  examina¬ 
tions,  and  in  fact  any  information  desired  will  be  given  upon^application 
to  The  Adjutant,  West  Point,  N.  Y. 


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